Jury Awards $800,000 in Oregon Discrimination Case After Two Female Lawyers Were Denied Courtroom Access

Two female lawyers, one Black and one Latina, won a combined $800,000 in damages on Wednesday after a lengthy discrimination lawsuit involving a Washington County deputy sheriff.

After deliberating for five hours, the jurors awarded Chloe Clay, a Black woman, $500,000 in damages, and Alyne Sanchez, a Latina, $300,000. It is understood that the two women have also instructed their attorneys to seek payment from Washington County for their legal fees, which are expected to be about $1 million.

The Incidents Occurred at the Washington County Law Enforcement Center

Both women worked for the Metropolitan Public Defenders when deputy sheriff David Lyle, on two separate occasions, stopped them from entering a public courtroom, while white attorneys were granted entry without a problem.

The incidents occurred at the Washington County Law Enforcement Center in 2022 and 2023, home to the sheriff’s office, and their legal counsel argued that Lyle’s actions were based on race and ethnicity.

It has also been publicly reported that Washington County judges and prosecutors are reputed by lawyers to be aggressive and harsh in their dealings with defendants and defense attorneys.

Clay claims that as a black woman, she is treated with less grace, facing more discrimination, disrespect, and harsh treatment than her white counterparts.
In 2023, Clay filed a lawsuit, alleging that David Lyle prevented her from entering a public courtroom.

Alyne Sanchez filed a separate lawsuit a few days later, citing similar allegations against the deputy sheriff.

Discrimination by the Washington Sheriff’s Office is Not an Isolated Incident

This is not the first time the Washington Sheriff’s Office has been accused of racism.

A Black man’s conviction was overturned by the Oregon Court of Appeals in 2019, after concluding that the prosecutor in the case had struck the only black juror from the jury.

According to data provided by the Oregon State Bar Association, there are only 56 practicing Black female lawyers, representing 0.36% of the state’s licensed lawyers.